Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
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Lakers' LeBron James during a game against the Phoenix Suns in February 2026
The Los Angeles Lakers had recently enjoyed a rare stretch of good health, with their trio of stars available together for an extended period.
That momentum may now be in jeopardy.
During Thursday night’s 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets, LeBron James suffered an elbow injury late in the fourth quarter.
The injury occurred when James drove to the basket for a layup and fell hard to the floor with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.
Although he briefly returned to the game with two minutes left, James exited again with 22 seconds remaining. His postgame comments suggested the issue could be more concerning than initially hoped.
Lakers Await Further Clarity on LeBron James Injury
Speaking to reporters after the loss, Lakers head coach JJ Redick offered only a brief update on the situation.
“He’s got ice on it right now, and it’ll get looked at,” he said.
James provided a more detailed explanation while speaking in the locker room, hinting at lingering discomfort.
“It’s pretty sore right now,” James told reporters. “It feels like a funny bone situation, but even more intense. Let’s see what happens over the next couple of days.”
“Hopefully, I’ll wake up tomorrow, and it doesn’t feel too much worse than it is now. If it feels better, that’d be great.”
Before the injury, the 41-year-old had put together a solid performance for the Lakers, finishing with 16 points, five rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and one block while shooting an efficient 7-of-11 from the field.
Earlier in the first quarter, James also made history.
On a fadeaway jumper, he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals made in NBA history, setting a new mark of 15,838 after entering the game needing just three baskets to break the record.
Despite the milestone, the injury and the loss cast a shadow over what was a historic night.
Injury Concerns Continue to Haunt Los Angeles
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and four steals, shooting 11-of-24 from the field and 3-of-10 from three-point range.
Austin Reaves added 16 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, but the team’s star trio could once again face disruption if James’ injury proves serious, continuing a theme that has followed the Lakers throughout much of the season.
Injury trouble struck earlier in the game as well. Starting center Deandre Ayton exited after just four minutes and was later ruled out with knee soreness.
Ayton had missed two games prior to the All-Star break due to soreness in his right knee, but Redick revealed after the game that the current issue involves his left knee.
His status moving forward remains uncertain and will likely become clearer in the coming days.
With Ayton sidelined, Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes stepped into a larger role and delivered an efficient performance, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists while shooting 8-of-10 from the field.
Hayes also posted the second-best plus-minus on the team at plus-seven, trailing only Rui Hachimura’s plus-10.
The loss snapped the Lakers’ three-game winning streak and dropped their season record to 37-25.
Los Angeles currently holds the sixth seed in a tightly contested Western Conference, with the Phoenix Suns just two games back in the play-in race.
Meanwhile, Denver moved 1.5 games ahead in the fifth seed, adding further weight to what could prove a pivotal loss as the race for postseason positioning intensifies.